We’ve been following MIRO Kitchen for a bit, but we’re happy to share some great news that we got just got from owner Eugene Kabilnitsky: they’re opening soon. Oh, and it’s gonna be a great spot to check out! That’s because the menu will feature the food of Hawaii, Korea, Japan, the Philippines, and Hong King. We’re talking Pacific-style tacos, Asian-inspired small plates, family style plates, killer salads, and great sides . . . and those flavors are coming from a familiar face or two.Continue reading →

We’re going to resist the temptation to make pho puns for this entire review. Why? Because our meal was so fucking good (not PHOking good) that puns just wouldn’t do it justice. Ok, so let’s see if we can do this . . .

(From left) Ivy Bacher and Chef Ye will host the Grand Reopening of Pearl East on Thursday, August 13 at 5:30, 323 Hope Street, Stamford. There will be a ribbon-cutting ceremony and celebration. For details, visit http://www.pearleastct.com or call (203) 973-0072.

After a fire that broke out at Pearl East on Summer Street in Stamford, owners Bee (Ivy) Bach and Chef Ye were without a restaurant. And, the people of Stamford were without one of their favorite choices for dependable Chinese and Japanese. Comments poured into their Facebook page, offering sympathy and talking about how sad they were. But, people breathed a sigh of relief when they announced that they would, indeed, reopen.

Well, OmNomivores, that time is here! That’s because on August 13, Pearl East will officially reopen at their new location: 323 Hope Street in Glenbrook! The Grand Opening Party starts at 5:30 and will have a ribbon cutting at 6 that features Stamford Mayor David Martin and CT State Representative William Tong.

And, while you’ll still see many of your old favorites on the menu when you stop by, you’ll also notice some new soon-to-be-favorites, too. That’s because Chef Ye (with legit kitchen experience in Hong Kong) has updated the menu with dishes like “Flounder Filet with Ginger and Scallion,” the “Duck Crepe,” and the “Sizzling BBQ” which is a combination of filet mignon, shrimp, and veggies served on a banana leaf.

Prices range from $14-22, so that’s a very affordable sweet spot to hit, but if you stop by on Grand Opening Day, you’ll get 20% some of the menu items whether you eat there or take out. In terms of hours, check them out from 11-10 pm on Monday-Friday, 12-11 pm on Saturday, and 12-10 pm on Sundays. Plus, fret not: they’ll still have deliveries to Darien, Greenwich, and Stamford, so make sure you have (203) 973-0072 saved in your contacts. ;)

Only six seats left and we’ve got ’em up for grabs! You know you want to!

UPDATE: Congrats to Airen, Alexis, and Ray for snagging 3 pairs of tix to the now completely sold out Kawa Ni Cocktail War Contest! While they were picked randomly, we both debated a long time on the judges spot. In the end, though, we decided to go with Andrea Viscuso.

A few days back we told all about a brand new series of cocktail competitions, hosted by Jeff Marron, the Beverage Manager at LeFarm, The Whelk, and Kawa Ni right in Westport. Each event will feature six talented bartenders and mixologists from across the state who need to work with a sponsored liquor and a secret ingredient that Mimi from Saugatuck Grain and Grape picks. Each event will have three celebrity judges, three food-loving judges, and 30 public judges.

Well, here we are, already at the end of 2014. Man, how time flies. But fret not friends, because the end of another year means another celebration of the best of the best in Fairfield County. That’s right, it’s time for the 4th Annual OmNomys! By now most of you know how this works, but for those of you new here, this is a list of the best that we’ve experienced in 2014… NOT necessarily the best EVER in Fairfield County. If your favorite spot or food didn’t make it on here, maybe it was on our list back in 2011, 2012, or 2013… and if not, let us know so we can check it out in 2015!

With not one, but two fireplaces, Cask Republic has a warm, rustic, and down-homey kind of vibe going on. It’s hard to think of a chill spot with more class. It’s the perfect place to meet up with friends, have some drinks (from which there are many to choose), and try out some great gastropub grub.

With Fairfield County’s active food scene, it’s no problem trying a new restaurant whenever you want. But, sometimes you might want more than a meal out. Maybe you want to take those restaurant-quality dishes home with you to make whenever you want. Again, there are certainly many cooking classes that you can try out here in the 203, but many are simple meals or involve basic skills.

Some of the steps involved in making a great ceviche

So, we were very excited to learn about Karen Brownlow of Chop Shop Cooking. She loved cooking for friends and at parties so much that she decided to study cooking at The New York Restaurant School in Manhattan. Seeing her talent, they kept her on in their catering department and became one of their head chefs in charge of the many events that they cater. From there, she worked at Abigail Kirsch and even started her own catering company. As her life got busier and she wanted to spend more time with her family, she decided to stop catering, but…and here’s where Chop Shop came in…but, her friends convinced her to start cooking classes. And, so Chop Shop Cooking was born!

Well, what can we say but there’s a whole helluva lot going on in and around Fairfield County over the next two weeks. So, in addition to our regular posts, we’ve gathered up some major highlights of things going on such as awesome events, special meals, beer news, beer dinners, cooking classes, farmers’ markets, festivals, ways to give back, and we give some props to a city in CT that just got some major press. Check out more events here, too.

Cool (and Chow) Down

6/18-6/20: Chef Storch of Match continues his themed lunches, this time with “Super Duper” Match. And, if you’re wondering…yes, he’s featuring some of the greatest dishes from Super Duper Weenie: the best hot dog joint in the world. Check out Match’s FB page for the menu.

6/19: The Chelsea in Fairfield is takin’ things back to ‘Nawlins with food and drink specials, mon cherie. This is all in celebration of Marc Broussard hitting up Fairfield Theatre Company that day.

We love tasting events where you get to taste some of the best spots in an area. They tend to be inexpensive, they have lots of variety, and it’s basically like a Costco tasting spree on steroids. ‘Nuff said, right? So, get ready for two great events coming up: Taste of Port Chester on 6/8 and Taste of Wilton on 6/9. Check out the deets with us and get yo’self down (or up) there for all the nomworthy food.

Taste of Port Chester

6/8, from 12-3 pm

Registration starts at 11:30 at the Marina on Abendroth Ave.

Tickets are $25 (drinks extra; you’ll get a map for easy food tourism)

Taste of Port Chester is a walking tour (though there are busses available) through CT’s neighboring village. Once you have your wristband, you can just visit any of the places below (there will be balloons outside) and get samples of their goodies. We were downtown when this was going on last year and it was a very popular event, so you won’t want to miss this one. Added bonuses: your ticket purchase helps to support Port Chester Public Schools and you can walk off all of the calories that you ingest (wishful thinking).

$30 per person at Wilton Chamber of Commerce, Fairfield County Bank, Bankwell, or Wilton Family Y

$35 at the door

Cheaper than an entrée at most restaurants here in CT, admission to Taste of Wilton is a great deal…especially because food and drinks are included. This year, you’ll want to check out this event all over again so you can try out some of the new restaurants that have opened up and to nom away on your favorites.

Chef Plum, his trusty Sous Chef Justin Kern, and the Plum Luv Foods crew are back for some more action withDinner Underground at Williams-Sonoma in Danbury. This do-not-miss event is taking place on 5/4/14 and starts at 6:30.Tickets come to $74.84after a processing fee, but the meal is definitely worth it…don’t delay, either, they are almost sold out. Not only will you get 7 courses, you’ll also get nice pours of wine, access to theWilliams-Sonomastore after hours with a special discount, and maybe even a few surprises.

We went to the last dinner (the first pop-up dinner ever held at a WS) and had so much fun and, ironically, sat with the same awesome people that we sat with when wewent to a Dinner Underground sessionthat took place over a year ago. Our favorite dishes are pictured above: scallops with pork belly and a killer do-it-yourself polenta plate that featured three different toppings.

This time around, Chef Plum is featuring a menu that we want to devour bit by bit and of course he’s using pork belly:

We told you about the 1st Annual Stratford Restaurant Week at the start of the week, but you’ll be happy to know that there are lots of other options for branching out and trying new spots throughout the middle of April, too. So, let’s break these restaurant weeks down in order from Branford, to New Haven, and then to Stratford:

April 6-12, 2014

First up is Branford Restaurant Week, make sure to enter for a $25 gift card good at any of the participating restaurants. Secondly, check out the selection of restaurants that will feature specials, deals, and prix fixe menus. Third of all, don’t forget about Stoney Creek and Thimble Island breweries, both in Branford. Make a day of it!